You're too late
by TuxedoFedora
Summary: She was there for him through thick and thin, when no one else was. Yet he couldn't see just how deeply she loved him.  Was he...Too late?  Implied Tsuna/OC, One-sided Tsuna/OC and Hinted Varia/OC "Edited and Fixed to Correspond with Blind Strings"


Sawada Tsunayoshi could not understand it. That deep feeling in him he got whenever he saw Tamaki Saito's face. Her large grin that would appear each time she said his name. He would watch her with slight amusement as she would stop in the middle of her sentences to attempt to blow her bangs out of her eyes and fail. She had long since cut her long, mahogany hair down to her chin due to it getting in her way. He would laugh when her eyes would narrow at her bangs and hear her mutter that she needed to cut those "Damn bangs" of hers.

A strange feeling of nostalgia swept through his system when he would watch the way her eyes would close and her large grin appear when she would laugh. She held no ceremony in her, so her laughs were far from polite giggles. Her eyes were soft but by no means fragile appearing. Those hues of teal may have shown a happy spirit but they also showed a deep fire behind them. He had a feeling if she was related to Ryohei instead of Kyoko she would have probably yelled "EXTREME!" like he would.

He wasn't sure what it was that he was feeling when he looked upon her heartbroken face when he cared more about Kyoko who didn't have a scratch on her while Saito was smashed through a building. The shiver that went through his body confused him as he couldn't name what caused it. Was it fear? Guilt? Pity? He couldn't name it as he held Kyoko to himself and watched in horror as his precious, childhood friend massacred their opponents with the pole from a speed limit sign. Her screams of anguish as her eyes were narrowed with either insanity or rage. His terror only worsened to remorse as he listened to her yells.

"Kyoko. Kyoko! KYOKO! It's always about fucking Kyoko!" Tsuna's heart sank, her murderous expression made worse by the tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm just as good as her! I was his friend first! So then why? WHY WON'T HE LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M THE ONE THAT LOVES HIM SO DEARLY?" He continued to listen to her belittling herself as tears started to appear in his eyes while her pained words cycled through his head. It was then that he realized everything that he had done. He finally realized how deeply he hurt her. He didn't have it in him to stop her when she came to her senses before noticing Tsuna and his friends watching her with either shock or pity. A look of shame appeared on her blood splattered face as she covered her eyes with a blood soaked sleeve then ran off. Even the usually cruel and indifferent Reborn had his head bowed. Tsuna could see that not even his perfect hitman of a tutor could have predicted the intensity of when she snapped.

Even a few days later as his precious Saito's birthday drew near; Tsuna found it was slim to none when trying to talk to her. Each time she saw him whether it be at school or out in the town, her eyes would widen and she would about-face and run away as fast as her legs would carry her in her skirt. It wasn't until he went to her home that he confronted her and gave her his deepest apology. Tsuna held her in his arms after she tackled him into the floor and began to sob. This caused the brunette boy to smile a bit as this was the first time she cried like this in all the time he knew her. He held her tighter and whispered to her in a comforting way.

"I won't let anyone see you like this…This will be our secret, Sai-chan…" her sobs deepened as she heard her old nickname slip from his lips. Her nickname for him being yelled out like a broken mantra as she continued to have her head buried in his chest.

"Tsu-chan…Tsu-chan…Tsu-chan…" He looked down at the quivering girl in his arms and began to think on how to make this up to her. His mind hatched an idea as he smiled and brought her face up causing her to open her eyes in question. Her teal orbs staring through blurred vision to his honey-brown eyes as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Hey Sai-chan? Would you like to go with me to the amusement park? It's your birthday soon so…" Tsuna saw her eyes widen in joy as her grin returned, her body holding onto him tightly as she nodded ecstatically. Her heart lifted from the depths of sorrow and darkness while she shouted an excited "YES!" to his question. They made a plan to meet on the Sunday that her birthday fell upon. A full day to themselves, just like back in the days of their past childhood friendship. Tsuna made a vow to himself that he would not ruin that for her; that he would repair the damage he'd done to her.

The weeks caught Tsuna by surprise, so much had happened in that small of time. The weeks of horror began upon the arrival of that insane silvered haired swordsman and the old fashioned speaking brunette. Reborn began merciless training on the boy after the announcement of the possibility of the ring battles. Reborn would have been more lenient if he had not caught Squalo eyeing Saito so calculatingly as she stood there next to Tsuna looking up at the insane swordsman.

Unbeknownst to the Vongola, during the day later on that week said loud Varia guardian paid a visit to dear Saito. A conversation was exchanged between them that left Saito in doubt and quite shaken. She could only collapse onto her knees as she looked up at him in horror as Squalo smirked down at the easily swayable girl. It seemed that Sawada kid had already planted the seed of doubt in her due to his blind nature like Xanxus said. All the Varia had to do was grow that seed to infiltrate Sawada Tsunayoshi's armor.

After that chilling visit by one of the people intent on killing the ones she held dear she remained intent on her birthday visit with Tsuna. Not for her, but for him. He needed a reprieve from the harsh stress on his body this must be having. She counted down the days to that special day, the poor girl filled with blinding hope as the next day was the big day. Upon the ringing of her alarm clock the next morning she jumped up and got dressed. Her usual uncaring attitude gone as she for once dressed girly and nicely for Tsuna. A blush on her face as she put on her shoes and ran to the amusement park when the meeting time came. She stood in front of the entrance to the park, a large grin on her face as she looked up at the large clock that marked the time to be ten in the morning. He would be here. He PROMISED, he would be. And he would never break a promise to her. Right…?

Eventually a few hours past, her grin now diminished to a light smile as she sat there on a bench waiting for her best friend. Even the report from a passing couple about the nearing rain didn't affect her in the least as she waited. Still clinging to that hope in her that he'd be there on her special day to celebrate it with her. It wasn't until an hour before the park closed that her hope was deteriorated into an empty void in her. Her eyes long since drained of her happiness and emotion as she sat there in the rain by herself. Only one thing going through her head as she sat there.

_He lied…He lied to me…_

Despite her solemn thoughts no tears fell from her emotionless, teal orbs. It wasn't until she heard multiple sounds of running steps that her bowed head lifted a bit in the rain. She recognized the voices that breathed heavily. She stared at the floor as she heard Tsuna beg for her forgiveness. Looking down at her cell phone she saw the illuminated numbers that read eleven at night.

"Sai-chan! I'm so sorry! Please forgive me! I was so b-busy I didn't realize the time! I-I didn't forget I-I swear!" Tsuna looked at her sitting for as she remained there, flinching as she asked one simple question. A question that he knew if he either lied or told the truth to it would end their friendship. For he had committed the gravest sin of all against a girl friend. He had broken a promise to her, on her birthday of all days.

"You were with Kyoko during the day…Weren't you?"

Tsuna had no idea how to answer that, he recalled back to the morning. He remembered getting ready to meet Saito, but he was stopped on the way over by Gokudera and Yamamoto. He declined on them for the day and was about to leave with Reborn on his shoulder when he saw her. The Namimori Middle School idol, smiling at him and questioning on how the training for the "sumo match" was going. It was then that he forgot all the plans he had made with Saito and agreed to hang out with her, Haru, Gokduera and Yamamoto after all. Reborn gave Tsuna a disapproving kick to the head as he reprimanded Tsuna.

"What about Saito?" the small arcobaleno asked as he stood on Tsuna's shoulder. Already knowing the answer that would seal his idiot student's fate with his friend. His head bowed so his fedora hid his eye as he cursed Tsuna for being a fool in his head.

"I'll spend a bit of time here with everyone then go meet up with her! I won't break a promise!"

Now Tsuna stands there stuttering out a lie to hopefully repair the broken relationship. Even to poor Tsuna and his friends watching, his lies were so blatant and see through that anyone with common sense could see through it. Reborn guessed that must have been what separated Saito and Kyoko from one another. Kyoko was sweet, naïve, and so very gullible to lies that cover-up events like the ring battles and mafia. While Saito, poor realistic Saito; was cynical, and had the common sense to see right through Tsuna.

Saito stood up and laid her head on Tsuna's chest, fisting his shirt tightly in his hand. Tsuna swore he heard a smash of glass as he realized it was her heart that was breaking. They all looked at her as her shoulders heaved from labored breathing. Tsuna's heart dropped to his stomach as he heard two fierce words that raised a red flag to signal the end.

"**STOP IT**."

Saito raised her head as she held a look of rage and betrayal on her face as she pulled him down a bit and screamed into his face. Tsuna's eyes widened as he looked at her taken aback by her command. But by the look on her face she was FAR from done with what she had to say.

"Liar. Liar! STOP LYING TO ME!" she pushed Tsuna away and watched him tumble to the ground as tears streamed down from her angered face. Her next sentence causing everyone's heart to freeze up as a look of horror appeared on their face.

"The Varia was right…You're a liar. You're a liar that doesn't give a shit about me anymore. I should have guessed as much after all those times where you abandoned me for HER. You tossed my confession back in my face thinking I was joking! All you care about is Kyoko! I was stupid enough to open my heart to you once more today and let myself get hurt AGAIN. I can handle being second to another girl…But not when she's the only thing you can think about." Saito was stopped before she started her next rant by a loud yell that made everyone's attention snap to the new arrival.

"VOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOI! So the fucking idiot finally fucked up did he?" yelled a familiar silver haired, swordsman that entered the scene. Saito looked down as she nodded to Squalo solemnly and missed his knowing smirk. He let out a cocky laugh as he sneered at the young Vongola Decimo.

"Xanxus told you the brat would abandon you again! Here we were being nice enough to warn you ahead of time. See where blind faith gets you? Got you fucking nowhere didn't it?" Squalo's words pierced through whatever remained of Saito's heart. Her hands covered her face as she began to cry as everything began to fall apart around her. Tsuna looked up at her from the floor, confusion and hurt written all over his face.

Saito dashed to Squalo and clung to him as she kept up her reluctant end of the agreement from the previous visit of the enemy group. She missed the dark smirk that Squalo flashed to the Vongola as he easily picked her up with a single arm and jumped to a roof with her. Turning to the flabbergasted Tenth and his guardians, the shark named man rubbed a handful more of salt into their wounds with one final sentence.

"**She's _OURS_ now!**"

Tsuna's heart finally shattered as he saw the contented look on Saito's face as she was held by the Varia guardian when carried away. The crushing weight of realization pressed down on Tsuna again in the form of his disapproving tutor's words and the saddened looks on his friend's faces.

"Idiot-Tsuna… I thought I taught you better than this."

**Tamaki Saito loved Sawada Tsunayoshi, and he betrayed her.**

**Sawada Tsunayoshi loved Tamaki Saito in return finally…**

**But Tamaki Saito was no longer his.**

His only contact with her would be when her name reached Tsuna's ears. He sat there on the wet pavement hunched over as he cried. Not even the hands on his back from his Storm and Rain guardians quelled his cries as his fists clutch against the ground.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry, Saito…"


End file.
